Read Romans 5:21
Questions from the Scripture text: What had reigned (Romans 5:21)? In what? What now (much more, cf. Romans 5:20) reigned? Through what? Unto what? Through Whom?
How is the vast superiority of Christ over Adam displayed? Romans 5:21 looks forward to the sermon in this week’s midweek meeting. In this verse of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that God glorifies Christ by how much more grace reigns in Christ than even death reigned in Adam.
Christ’s “crowning” achievement: righteous people, living righteously, because they are going to live forever. Where sin abounded, grace super-abounded. And now in Romans 5:21, where death abounded, grace super-abounded.
Sin had reigned in death. Romans 5:14 told us that death reigned from Adam to Moses. We remember the dreadful refrain of Genesis 5: “and he died… and he died… and he died…” Even among the believing family of Seth, there was the refrain of the reign of death. But it wasn’t just death that was reigning at the end of men’s lives, it was sin that was reigning in that death. Men were not only born to die one day; they were born already “dead in trespasses and sins” (cf. Ephesians 2:1, Ephesians 2:5).
For every child of Adam, until he comes to faith in Christ, every sin he commits is a testimony: “sin reigns over me, and the final proof of it is coming when I die.” But for those who do come to faith in Christ, it is no longer sin that reigns over them but grace that reigns over them (cf. Romans 6:14). How marvelous! There are children of Adam who are able to love God, who are able to love His law, who are able to benefit from that law. By sending His own Son, God has done what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh (cf. Romans 8:3). He condemned sin in the flesh by Christ, and now the believer’s new nature from Christ hates that sin that is in him, that sin for which Christ died.
This introduces a wonderful new dynamic in the believer’s life: every motion of the heart toward God announces, sin does not reign over me, grace reigns!” Every agreement of the heart with His law announces, sin does not reign over me, grace reigns!” Every desire to obey the good law announces, sin does not reign over me, grace reigns!” Every motion in acting upon that desire announces, “sin does not reign over me, grace reigns!”
The man who has been counted righteous has only been counted righteous through union with Jesus Christ. And the man who has been counted righteous through union with Jesus Christ has been given a new nature through union with Jesus Christ. Now, Jesus Christ is already his Lord. And, upon death, they will be both perfected in Christ and ushered into the full experience and enjoyment of His eternal life.
Grace reigns through righteousness! But this is another way of identifying our new master. We have a new Lord. The man who is his own lord is really under the reign of sin. But the man who is under the reign of grace has a new Lord: “Jesus Christ our Lord.”
So, the question for every reader is: am I spiritually dead and under the dominion of sin (which will be sealed forever when I physically die), or am I spiritually alive and under the dominion of grace (which will be sealed forever when I enter into eternal life)? And, if I am delivered and alive and growing in holiness, the further question is this: am I living as one who treasures every righteous movement of my heart as a display that “king” grace has a name: “Jesus Christ our Lord”?
Which better describes you: someone who wishes that he could get rid of sin, or someone who wishes that he could get away with sin? Do your sins define what reigns in your life, or do your righteous desires/actions define Who reigns in your life? What will come of you, when you leave this world?
Sample prayer: Lord, thank You, for giving us Your grace in Your Son. Forgive us for whenever we sin as if we were servants of it. Grant that we would more and more offer our members as slaves to You for righteousness, so that it may be seen in our life that grace reigns and that Jesus Christ is Lord, through Whom we ask it, AMEN!
Suggested songs: ARP32AB “What Blessedness” or TPH433 “Amazing Grace”
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